A FIRE believed to have been caused by a faulty dishwasher severely damaged a house in Amory Road, Dulverton, in the early hours of bank holiday Monday.

Firefighters from Tiverton, Bampton and Dulverton were called to the fire on the ground floor of the two-storey building.

Western Power and the Red Cross were also on the scene but no-one needed medical attention.

Fire crews spent three hours controlling the blaze, using eight breathing apparatus sets, two hose reel jets and a main jet.

Neighbouring properties were checked for fire-spread and hot-spots using thermal imaging cameras.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue spokesman said that the fire, thought to have started accidentally in the kitchen, had badly damaged the property.